1. Respect Life

2. We are beautifully and wonderfully made. Each and every human life is a gift from God to be celebrated and protected.

3. “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” - Dr. Seuss

4. Persons are infinitely valuable as well, despite their age, infirmity, guilt, or disability.

5. We are impassioned, inspired, and energized by the love of Christ.

6. Fr. Damien was inspired by the love of Christ. When he looked at a leper, he saw a human being, not leprosity, infirmity, criminal history, handicap, old age, or infancy.

7. 31 year old African American world famous brain surgeon, single, no kids 40 year old Hispanic male teacher, 2 kids 50 year old homeless woman 62 year old Jewish doctor on staff at your hospital, a respected colleague, 3 grown children, 8 grandchildren 10 year old quadriplegic girl, alert and oriented 15 year old pregnant girl, high school student 67 year old President of the United States 21 year old waitress helping to support her family, has no insurance, high school dropout 72 year old gay Chinese research scientist, on the verge of finding a cure for AIDS, no family newborn with congenital heart disease 26 year old woman incarcerated for attempted murder your best friend

8. “ You say A. is white, and B. is black.

9. “ You say A. is white, and B. is black. It is color, then; the lighter, having the right to enslave the darker? Take care. By this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet, with a fairer skin than your own.

10. You do not mean color exactly? You mean the whites are intellectually the superiors of the blacks, and, therefore have the right to enslave them? Take care again. By this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet, with an intellect superior to your own.

11. But, say you, it is a question of interest; and, if you can make it your interest, you have the right to enslave another. Very well. And if he can make it his interest, he has the right to enslave you

12. What can we do?

13. Questions